1. Field
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to electrolytic membranes for a fuel cell, electrodes for a fuel cell, and fuel cells including the electrolytic membranes and/or the electrodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel cells are clean energy sources that may be used as future alternatives to fossil energy. Fuel cells have high output density and high energy conversion efficiency and, due to such characteristics, fuel cells have a wide application range including pollution-free vehicles, power generation systems for home use, and portable electronic devices, such as mobile communication equipment, medical devices, military equipment, or space industry devices.
A fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic membrane interposed between the cathode and the anode. A fuel gas is supplied to the anode and oxygen is supplied to the cathode, so that an oxidation reaction of the fuel gas occurs at the anode and a reduction reaction of oxygen occurs at the cathode. These reactions occurring at the cathode and the anode result in a flow of electrons, thereby generating electricity, and heat and water as byproducts.
Regarding a high-temperature fuel cell, a phosphoric acid is mainly used as an electrolyte. In this system, an electrolytic membrane needs to sufficiently absorb the phosphoric acid, to prevent leakage of the phosphoric acid, and to have excellent durability.
However, currently known electrolytic membranes have unsatisfactory phosphoric acid contents and phosphoric acid leakage prevention characteristics, and thus, efficiency of a fuel cell including such electrolytic membranes is not satisfactory.